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People always find it fun that I stay in touch with a lot of my past brides. But the truth is, these brides and I have spent countless hours together over many months, planning such an important day, that it only seems natural to stay in touch. And with every referral, birth announcement or impromptu coffee date that comes my way, it’s just a small reminder to me that what I do matters.

Cue Katherine, a past bride of mine and now a small business owner (x2). She and her husband live in the most beautiful home, on the east side of the state, that they are restoring and where she also runs her interior design business from.

When I received an email from Katherine wanting me to be the floral designer for one of her clients, I was immediately flattered and excited. The mood board she sent and the ideas she had put together were amazing. The overall aesthetic could be described as Old World Charm. Elegant antiques where accented by a rich color palette. Shades of reds and deep blue were accented with blush and gold. Velvet ribbon was wrapped around the bouquets, which consisted of peonies, ranunculus, and garden roses, and greenery was tucked behind the antique broaches the men wore. Entering the ballroom guests were greeted with sparkling chandeliers, beautiful crown molding, and glowing candles. Every centerpiece was a mini vignette, consisting of different vintage items that had all been gathered by Katherine.

Being a part of this gorgeous wedding was a dream and getting to work with a previous bride is always a plus. Congratulations Mike and Tanya and thank you for letting us be part of such a special day!

With Christmas being almost 10 days away (or as I like to say, 2 Saturday’s away), I hope you have started your shopping. With most of my family out of state and country, I find the names on my Christmas list getting shorter and shorter. While some of you might think that I’m super lucky that I don’t have a long list of people to buy for, believe it or not, I genuinely enjoy Christmas shopping. I like taking the time to pick out unique items for each specific person. And yes, I love wrapping presents!

But, if you are like me, no matter how prepared I am for holiday gift giving, there always seems to be a situation where I need a gift. Whether it’s a thank you gift, a hostess gift, or whatnot. Thankfully I’ve discovered the best way to be prepared for those moments is to have some small items, a box, and some crinkled paper on hand. Then I jut go to that stash of goodies, pick out some items, and create a customized gift box. I add a few fresh flowers (or a succulent) and a small greeting card and I’m good to go.

For those of you needing a little inspiration on designing a Holiday gift box, I’ve designed one for you to use as a guide. I made this for a couple of lemon enthusiasts. Most of the items in the gift box were purchased from World Market.

Notes:
Holiday gift boxes are great because you can create each one for the specific individual that will be receiving it. I find it easiest if you choose a theme for the box that is appropriate for the person receiving the gift. Whether that theme is a color, an occasion (ie: holiday – like what I’m doing) or interest (ie: tea, wine), having a theme helps you choose items and gives your gift a cohesive look and feel.

Be creative and think outside the box when it comes to the “box.” Crates, mixing bowls, strainers, trays and many other things can be used as your “box.”

I generally include some type of “living” item in each gift box. Depending on the person, you could give a succulent, potted herbs, a small bouquet, or even an air plant.

Instructions:
1. Lay out everything you want to include in the gift box – this will help you get an idea of what you have. Keep in mind you might not use everything you bought.

2. Place the crinkled paper in the bottom of the box.

3. Start playing around with where items should be placed. Generally, the taller items should go in the back, with smaller items placed on top/last.

It really doesn’t get any better than a whimsical garden bridal shower, with touches of Kate Spade, all inside a gorgeous greenhouse.

The Greenhouse in the Grand Rapids Downtown Market offered the perfect setting for Cristyn’s intimate bridal shower. Lorri, the Matron of Honor, and I worked on creating a romantic garden bridal shower for Cristyn, adding some preppy touches of Kate Spade.

Shades of pink were accented with gold, geometric shapes kept things modern and fun, and were a great contrast to the romantic flowers. And boy, were there flowers. Besides the fact that the greenhouse is home to potted plants and flowers, my garden at home was bursting with spring flowers, allowing me to use a lot of flowers that aren’t available from a wholesaler (can you say bleeding hearts everywhere!).

Lorri, the sweetest person ever, wanted Cristyn and the guests to feel extra special, so we were made sure to include a lot of special details. Guests were invited to socialize while sipping on drinks, share their favorite memory of the bride and their best date night idea. We designed a special place for Cristyn to open her gifts and I created a backdrop installation of whimsical greenery and blooms. At the conclusion of the afternoon, as guests left, they were gifted with cute bags of popcorn, Starbucks gift cards, and small flower arrangements. We even had the fabulous Amy Carroll come to capture the special day, so Cristyn could always remember it.

I have known Laura’s family for many years (and even had the privilege of helping her older sister Elizabeth with her wedding), so you can imagine my excitement when I was asked to help plan Laura’s wedding. Laura is such a warm and gracious person, one of those people you just want to do anything and everything for. She was an absolute joy to work with because she appreciated every small detail that I showed her, was open to so many ideas, but also knew what she liked.

Zach and Laura were with married on a cool autumn day in October at her home church. Even with a wedding day weather forecast of rain and thunderstorms, you would never have known the skies were gray given both of their excited, happy and unfazed demeanors. After the ceremony the rain did stop for a few hours, giving the wedding party time to gallivant around Holmdene Manor and Downtown Grand Rapids before they had to arrive at the beautiful Ballroom at McKay Tower to greet guests. Instead of the traditional receiving line after the ceremony or going from table to table at the reception, Laura and Zach incorporated a different way to greet their guests. All four parents were there in the foyer to greet guests the moment they reached the ballroom. Once inside the ballroom, Laura and Zach spent a few minutes with each guest, greeting and hugging him/her, making sure each guest felt special and appreciated. It was the sweetest thing ever and so inline with the character of Zach and Laura.

A color palette of soft pinks and peaches were accented with dusty gray blues and ivory. We brought in gold and silver tones, which kept things interesting, but still remaining polished eclectic.

During the spring and summer months I normally have a full garden to cut from, but by October there is less to work with. Thankfully, I was still able to use dahlia, zinnias, sedum and tons of foraged greenery, giving her flowers a romantic and whimsical style.

We had a custom monogram designed that we incorporated in the hand letterpress invitations and the place cards.

With a grand ballroom backdrop, the family style meal created a warm and intimate atmosphere, starting the flow of comfortable conversation and giving guests a chance to talk and interact. The rocking dueling pianos made sure the dance floor was full all night.

At the beginning of July I had the pleasure of throwing my best friend (and fellow employee) an engagement party for her and her fiancé. More about that event in a later post, I promise. One of the drinks I served was quite a hit and it seemed perfect to share with you for when you need something to sip on during these hot summer days.

Instructions:
1. In a large pitcher, combine wine, vodka, juice, and half of the strawberries.
2. Refrigerate for an hour (can be refrigerated for up to 6).
3. Just before serving, add the soda, the rest of strawberries, and stir gently.
4. Serve over ice with strawberry garnish.